Wheel / Quick Release Install/Review

[BuudWeizErr]

Here are the parts and tools you will need to install an aftermarket steering wheel and quick release spacer into an S13 240SX.

-Steering Wheel
-Hub (Model Specific)
-Quick Release Spacer
-Standard and Metric Allen keys
-19mm Socket
-Elbow Grease

First Step:
The first thing you need to do is take off the stock steering wheel (obviously). As you have probably noticed there is a piece in the middle that seems like it would come off; well, it does. There are 4 clips that hold it to the rest of the wheel, and it takes some muscle to get them to come off, but they will if you pull hard enough. In this picture, you can see the center piece removed from the wheel and the clips that they are held on by:

http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image001.jpg

Second Step:
Now you need to remove the bolt that holds the wheel in place. I suggest you lock the steering wheel before you try to break the bolt loose, but hey whatever floats your boat. Use a 19mm socket and an extension or two to break that socket loose.

Third Step:
Now you need to get the wheel to come off. Grab hold of the wheel at 9 and 3 and yank that thing back and forth until it comes off. It should come off after a couple of good pulls. The hard part is now over.

http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image002.jpg

Fourth Step:
This is the beginning of the tricky part, You have to get the hub onto the steering shaft correctly to allow for the wheel to be put on and still be straight. What I did was put the hub on without the nut, then put the spacer on with a couple bolts, then the wheel, all very loosely so that I could steer it, but be able to pull the hub out and put it back in on the different notches. It worked for me, I got it straight. Once you get it on straight, bust out the 19mm and tighten that thing down. You DO NOT want that to come loose.

NOTE: The hub has a spot on it that says "top." Yeah, that didn't help me worth a damn. It wasn't straight.

http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image003.jpg

Fifth Step:
Bolt up the hub side of the adapter with the supplied bolts. These bolts will use a standard allen key. I don't remember the size off the top of my head, sorry.

http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image004.jpg
http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image005.jpg

Sixth Step:
Now bolt the wheel side of the quick release to the wheel. These bolts will use a metric allen key. Again, I can't remember the size.

http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image006.jpg

Seventh Step:
Attach the Wheel! Yay. Sorry for the glare in this picture, but you need to push the little button down and slide the silver piece down on the quick release. This will release the bearings inside to allow you to slide it over the hub side.

http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image007.jpg

Eighth Step:
Keep holding the silver spot down as you slide it over the attachment. Push it down and you can let go of the silver piece.

http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image008.jpg
http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image009.jpg

Ninth Step:
Now that the wheel is on the hub, spin the wheel. It can only lock in one position and once all the bearings line up, the silver piece will slide down and lock into place. Leaving you with an awesome quick release setup ready for the track.

http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image010.jpg
http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image011.jpg
http://www.sillbeer.com/images/my240SX/quickrelease/image012.jpg

Thoughts:
The quick release is sturdy as hell. It has no play whatsoever. When I say locks, I mean it. It isn't going anywhere. And it releases really easily too. But not by mistake. I used a Momo hub, L2 Quick Release and a Momo Race 350mm wheel. The quick release pulls the wheel closer to you by 50mm which allows me to heel-toe a lot easier.

The awesome part about this quick release is that it will bolt to most any hub and will allow most any wheel bolted to it. Momo, Sparco, Nardi, Personal, Nismo, whatever.

If you would like to pick one of these quick releases up, you can get it from phase2motortrend for ~$150.
http://www.store.yahoo.com/phase2motorsports/l2stwhqurepr.html

[derux]

Ya i have one of those works bell Quick release hubs. The cool thing about them is they are tight and dont have any play. The other thing is they sell a lock that covers the part that stays on the adapter hub and makes it imposible to remove. It is a great anti-theft device. Plus when you take off the wheel it is easier to get out of the car.

[Heartwork]

I have an L2 quick release also, waiting to install mine on....
actually, the guy who "produces" these is a friend of mine....
also, it comes from the same factory as Woodbell Rapfix just in case everyone out there is wondering how good of a quality it is....

[andrave]

just a word to the wise, use a puller to pull your steering wheel off, if yours is like mine (most are) it will take one to get it off.

[element240]

nice.... i'll be getting one in the future.
also, andrave said that you'll need a puller, how hard is it to take off without a puller?

[Rennen]

Great writeup.

Approximately how far did the the steering wheel move back(towards the diver) with respect to the stock one? I need to move my wheel back 2"-3" for the right driving position.

-Matt

[Heartwork]

wanted to make it clear., but...

if i used a Momo hub, bolted down that L2 quick release, then use a NARDI wheel on top of the L2 Quick release, that should work right?

im guessing that if i got rid of teh quick release in teh future, the Nardi wheel wouldnt bolt up to the Momo hub, correct?

[BuudWeizErr]

In theory, yes.

[West]

Very nice, ive been looking into getting one of those. Is that the SPL Quick Release hub?

Also, care if I add this to the Install section of the website?

[Dousan_PG]

yes the SPL is pretty much same
its badass.

love it.

doriftoslut has the SPLparts.com one
mine's in the mail shortly! woot
its so awesome

[adey]

I'm curious - do any of you know a quickrelease that doesn't act as such a fat spacer as well? I'm not exactly tall, and using my current QR puts the steering wheel a little too close to me for comfort.

[BuudWeizErr]

Also, care if I add this to the Install section of the website?
be my guest. just put my name, you know for street-cred ;) hahaha.

[Dousan_PG]

adey bro, the spacer is a bit more then 50mm (i measured it against my 50mm spacer)...like 60mm maybe? not 70mm i think..

[TheTicTac]

Damn so that QR moves the wheel closer 2 inches!! So in total it's about 4 inches closer with the momo hub?

A tip for removing the Steering wheel with out a puller. Break the nut that holds the steering wheel but don't take it off completely. Then you can go ape nuts on the steering wheel but not worry about it smashing into your face when you get it loose.

[G240sx]

does anyone know how to get the steering hub off? I have a hkb hub, and I think its installed crookedly. I tried several times to take off the hub but no luck, has this happen to anyone?

[adey]

hahaha... my HKB hub has decided to permanently mate itself to my steering columnn!!! It pisses me off to know that I can't take it off, but really, there's not much harm (yet) unless I break it or suddenly decide to switch to a momo/nardo/whatever hub... for which there's little reason.
In your case... try some PB blaster or WD40 on the column splines... and keep heaving!! If you have access to a steering wheel puller, go rent one from kragen/autozone/whatever, bolt a steering wheel to the hub, and try taking the whole thing off like that. Otherwise... you're fresh outta luck. :)

[holisticbeatz]

Does the S13 and S14 use the same hub?

[Dousan_PG]

no they are different.